Does anyone pay their full time guys thru the winter?

This is just what I have been trying to convey. We have lost a few really talented employees over the winter months. I am talking crew leads that were really able to step up. But three months of downtime always made them wonder what was around the corner especially when they couldn't make their payments. All I did was try to find a way that my best full time people could financially get through the winter, still be involved in the company and not seek employment elsewhere. Maybe my method I explained earlier in the post is not perfect but it really has helped myself and my employees make it throught the off season.

i couple years ago i had a guy that worked great, over the winter i kept him on to,plow, clean equipment, repair equipment, get everything ready for spring,etc... deal was 25-30 hours a week from mid dec till we got going again in the spring, around mi march. worked out good for a while then around mid feb he decided he didntwant to plow anymore and wanted me to find someone else to do it. i told him the deal was he did it all or nothing so he walked.

I really like this idea. I use to work for a company that did just this. It worked well for me until I decided to presue my own busniness. I didn't feel I was being taken advantage of because I was still able collect unemployment through the winter months with a job waiting come spring. But like most things I needed more money and wanted to better myself and my family so I went out on my own. It seems like the good guys only last a few seasons and then they move on. Not to change the subject but what are you paying your lead guys?

I found that after 13 yrs what has worked for us is. From April 1 trough around November 15 every one is hourly. With the exception of my right hand man. He is on salary all year. Then when fall cleanups are done we have 2 full time employees that go on salary. So now we have 3 full time people that is budgeted to be paid every week. These people do regular Maintenance on trucks, equipment, and they do daily property check for any ice/snow. But we still have some hourly employees that work in the winter. Then April 1 they go back to hourly for the summer.

IMO it is important to take care of people that are important to your business. These are the people that are there day to day making you money.Posted via Mobile Device